Aeroplane



H. J. LE PUL.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1920.

Patented Oct. IS, 1921.

.IILUFIIH Inn. Hun L W/T/VESSES A TTORNEVS AER'OPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20,1920.

Patented 0013. 18, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Qn mw /NI/ENTUR HJM f@ WIT/VESSES H. J. LE PUL` AEROFLANE.

APPLICATION m50 MAY2o,192o.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 W/TNESSES A TTOHNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application led May 20,

' Taal! who/m. t may concern:

' incidence .of a wing with Beit known that I, HENRY JOSEPH Ln PUL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, yhave invented a new and Improved Aeroplane, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new-and improved aeroplane arranged to enable the aviator to readily vary the angle of a View to insure an easy taking olf or making a landing within a comparatively short space.

Another object is to permit the aviator to vary the angle of incidence during Hight to compensate for the variation of the load due to the consumption of the fuel'thereby being able to maintain a uniform rate of speed.

With these and other objects in view, lthe invention consistsyof certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointedout in the claims. y

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings .forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts 1n all the views.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the aeroplane with parts shown in section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with a portion of the upper wing broken out;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionalside elevation of the upper wing on the line 3-3 of Fi 2;

, Fig. 4 is a similar view of the saine with the rear portion of the wing swung downward to Vary the angle of incidence;

Fig. 5 is an enlar ed sectional side elevation of a portion o the upper wing;

- Fig. 6 is a transverse section ofthe same on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the actuating mechanism for the movable rear portion of the upper wing, the section being on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

The aeroplane illustrated in Figs. 1 and 24 is in the form of a biplane, but I-do not limit myself tothis particular form of aeroplane as the principal improvement is in the form of a wing, as hereinafter more fully dethe fuselage 10 of the scribed. As shown,

with the usual cockpit aeroplane provided Specification of Letters Patent.

prising a forward Patented Oct. 18, 1921. 1920. serial No. 382,968.

11 Aand supports a top wing 12, a bottom wing 13 and a suitable landingl gear 14 together with rudders of usual construction, not shown. The upper wing 12 is provided `with top and bottom coverings 20 and 21 which may be of textile fabrics or metal or other suitable material, and the'said coverings are mounted on the main frame comwing beam 25, a rear wing beam 26 and ribs 27 -connecting the beams 25 and 26 with each other and projecting beyond the front beam 25, as plainly indicated in Fig. 3. j

The rear wing beam 26 is provided with bearings 30 in which is journaled a shaft 31,

of a swing 'frame 32 provided with ribs 33 preferably lin `alinement with the ribs 27 andextending rearwardly with the rear portions of the top and bottom coverings 20 and. 21 overlying the swing frame and being slidably connected therewith, as hereinafter more fully explained. The rear ends of the coverings 20 and 21 project beyond the rear of the swing frame 32 and the projecting portions are provided at their opposite faces with reinforcing and rubbing membersl 35 and 36 Slidingly engaging one another, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4.' The swing frame 32 is lnormally in the position shown in Fig. 3 to provide a wing of usual shape, but when it 1s desired to vary the angle of incidence then, the swing frame 32 is swung downward (see Fig. 4) whereby the rear portions of the coverings 20 and 21 are flexed in a like direction thus varying the angle of incidence of the wing for taking off or alighting purposes. It is understood that the swing frame 32 extends throughout the span of the win 12 and the chord or width'of the flexible portionof the wing is somewhat in excess of that of the usual ailerons 40 mounted on the swing frame at cut-out portions of the coverings 20 and 21, as will'be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2. The ailerons 40 are of usual construction and are controlled in the usual manner by the operator but wholly independent of the swinging movement given to the swin frame 3 2 employed for varying the ang e of incidence of\tli'e wing 12.

The shaft 31 is provided above --the fuselage 10 with a bevel gear wheel 50. (seey Figs. 1 and 2) in'mesh with a bevel gear wheel 5l control of the aviator span of the wing and Ashaft 52 is secured a secured on the upper end of a shaft 52 journaled in suitable bearings 53,54- arranged on the fuselage 10. 0n the lower end of the worm wheel 55 in mesh with a worm 56 secured on a shaft 57 journaled in a suitable bearing 58 (see Fig. 7 and provided with a crank arm 59 under the to permit the latter to turn the'shaft 57 with a view to imparta rotary motion to the shafts 52 and 31 to swing the swingt'rame 32A downward (see Fig. 4r) into an angular position or back to noi-mai position, as shown in Fig. 3.

In order to facilitate the iexing of the rear portions of the .coverings 20 .and 21 use is made of fiat springs 66 and 61, of which the fiat springs 60 are on the under side of' the top covering 20and overlie the ribs 27 and' 33 Whiie the springs 61 are onthe top of the bottom covering 21 and underiiewthe ribs 27 and 33. The front portions of the springs 6() and 61 are fastened by rivets or other fastening devices 62., 63 to the coverings 26 and 21 and the ribs 27, and therear portions of the springs 60 and 61 areslidably connected with the ribs 33 and are for this urpose fastened by boltsor rivets 65, 66 to uttons 67 68 slidably mounted on the top and bottom ianges 69, 7 0y of the ribs 33. The buttons 67 and 68 are provided with lugs 71 and 7 2 slidingly fitting into grooves (3,74- formed p in the top and bottom fianges 69- and 70 of the ribs 33, as will 'be readily understood by reference to Figs. 5 and 6. The rivets/ 65 and 66 also engage the coverings 20 and 21 to fasten the-springs 60 and 61 in position on the coverings. 'y L From the foregoing it will be seen that the rear portion ofthe wing 12 canbe read-1 ily swung down or up throughout the entire held locked in the adjusted position owing/.to the worm gearing describedA It will also be noticed that the ailerons 40 form part of the movable portion of the Wing but have independent motionl thereof. It will further be noticed that the coverings 20 and 21 are of unbroken continuitythe same as in ordinary wings as y now generally constructed, vbut the rear portions of the said coverings are readily flexed on giving a swinging movement to the swing frame 321. Itis understood that the lower wing 13 ma be constructed like the upper' win an Ithe rear portions of the Wings couple y meenam together and actuated from the shaft 57 to operate in unison, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentz- 1. YIn an aeroplane, a wing comprising a relatively fixed front portion, movable rear portion and an aileron arby the rear portion and independently movable, the aileron extending from a point intermediate of the length outer end of the saine.` Y 2. In an aeroplane, a wing comprising a relatively fixed front portion, movable rear portion and. an aileron carried by the. rear portion and independently the aileron extending from a point movable, intermediate of the length of the wing the outer end of the same, ing the rear portion ofthe wing and independentmeans for adjusting the aileron.

3. .In an aeroplane, a wing comprising a relatively fixed front portion, a relatively movable i rear portion extending substan tially the full length of the front/'portion and having its outer and an aileron `fillingthe said cut away portion and movable up and down at its rear ,edge independently ofthe said movable rear portion of the. Wlng.

f 4. In an aeroplane, a wing comprising a fixed member, an adjustable member pivoted to the ixed member andprovided with grooves, and springs extending across the joi t ofthe membersl on oppositesides of the joint, each spring having one e-nd secured to the fixed member, and Vbuttons lto a relatively i a reiatively of the wing to the means for ad]ust i E@ rear portion cut away,

which the other ends of the springs are se cured, said buttons being provided withlugs slidably mounted in the grooves of the pivoted member.

5. In an aeroplane, a wing comprising an inner frame havingforward and rear beams and ribs connecting the beams, the rear beam being provi-ded with bearings, an .outer frame having a hollow shaft mounted in the said bearings, springs extending across `the joint of the frames and each having one end fixed to one frame and its other end slidably secured to the other frame, upper and lower coverings for the frames, the covering being slidably connected with the outer pivoted frame.

HENRYJOSEPH Ln PUL. 

